News

Windcat, Europe’s market-leading offshore personnel transfer company is pleased to announce an order for the construction of a series of hydrogen-powered Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (“CSOVs”), with Damen Shipyards, a global provider of maritime solutions.

On Thursday, 27 October, the Hydrotug arrived in the port of Ostend. Here, the first hydrogen-powered tugboat will be further finished with the hydrogen system. Ostend was chosen because the tug can use the hydrogen bunkering facilities of CMB.TECH's Hydrocat 48 there.

In May 2022, Windcat Workboats and CMB.TECH launched the Hydrocat 48, the world’s first hydrogen powered CTV, at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam. Following the delivery and trials with launching customer Vestas, Windcat Workboats, together with its joint venture partners TSM and FRS, are pleased to announce an additional order of six hydrogen-powered vessels by 2024.

As part of its journey towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030, without the use of offsets, Vestas will explore how the world's first hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV), the Hydrocat 48, can help reduce carbon emissions from its offshore service operations. Vestas does this by launching a pilot program in collaboration with long-term supplier Windcat Workboats.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges and CMB.TECH will soon welcome the Hydrotug, the first hydrogen-powered tugboat. The Hydrotug consists of two BeHydro V12 dual fuel medium speed engines that can run on hydrogen and traditional fuel. This ground-breaking development will be used by Port of Antwerp-Bruges as an important step in the transition to a sustainable, climate neutral port by 2050 and will be operational in the first quarter of 2023.

On Tuesday, 10 May 2022, Windcat Workboats and CMB.TECH announced that the first hydrogen-powered CTV is ready for immediate operation after successful completion of trials and bunkering. This ground-breaking development for both the marine and offshore wind industries is the first CTV that uses clean fuels to reduce up to 80% of its traditional fuel usage and associated emissions. The Hydrocat 48 is a further green development, introducing clean fuel technology on the already very fuel efficient and high performing Windcat MK 3.5 design.